Oblivion's Peril

by M. H. Johnson

  Kaupias blinked. "What are you?"

  Val flashed a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "The victor."

  Kaupias lowered his gaze. "Yes, you are." He braced himself, no longer shying from Val's stare. "You are no common adventurer, are you? No. I sense more." He paled, stepping back. "Gods' mercy. You're actually a contender!"

  Val denied nothing. "You, duly authorized representative of Jordia, having borne witness to this trial by combat, need merely declare me the victor. Unless you would dispute my claim?"

  The man paled and swallowed. "No. No, you have won." He grimaced, steeling himself. "But I still need to know."

  Val frowned. "What are you talking about?

  "The Path of Kings!" he whispered. "If you would claim this territory as yours, I need to know what path you walk!"

  Congratulations! You have bested your foes in a Trial by Combat! Greengrove Province is now available for purchase for a cost of 1 territory point. Do you wish to claim this territory? Warning! This is your first victory in the crucible of combat! Should you accept, your Overlord Greater Skill will become your specialist class! There's no turning back after this, Val. You will have become destiny's pawn with no path forward save victory or death.

  Purchase Greengrove Province? Y/N...

  Yes. Congratulations! 2 Dominion points earned! You are now a Level 2 Overlord! Further Overlord levels will require increasing numbers of Lesser Territories to achieve. The Claimance of Greater Territories is now open to you as well, Overlord Valor Hunter.

  Congratulations! You have achieved a crucial milestone in the Hidden Questline: Primal Lord Rising. No one would expect a Dauda to dare this path, but no other contender has a dimensional rift in his belly! Remember, any smart tyrant rewrites history as he sees fit, and in the dark calculus of warfare, victory in battle justifies any means. Experience earned!

  Val abruptly shook away the dizzying array of internal prompts popping up, focusing only on the visibly shaking bureaucrat before him. "You truly dare to stride among titans, Overlord Valor Hunter?" Kaupias swallowed, shaking his head.

  Val blinked, caught off guard by the strings of fate he sensed swirling about the man. "You are no common bureaucrat.”

  The man flashed a bleak smile. "I am a Justiciar. As Jordia is my witness, I would know which path you dare to walk."

  Val frowned as a flashing prompt blazed upon his mind's eye, imparting a flood of information almost instantly

  It is time to choose your path!

  Will you walk the Path of Dominion? For the Overlord that would master all! Bonuses to Strength, Stamina, Willpower, and Charisma. You will also enjoy significant bonuses to all social skills, Indomitable Will, and all magical and psionic forms of mind control! All your territories will be immune to insurgency and rebellion! - Warning! Your Dauda heritage will deny you Indomitable Will bonus! Boosted magnetism will hinder Shadowmind use!

  Will you walk the Path of Battle? For the Overlord that knows combat is the only crucible that matters. Bonuses to Strength, Stamina, Finesse, and Quickness! Bonus to all martial skills! Bonus to all Psionic attacks! - You can purchase unique territory enhancements that will turn the tides of battle ever more in your favor!

  Will you walk the Path of Magic? For the Overlord unafraid of Jordia's most primal secrets! Bonuses to Perception, Willpower, and Scholarship! Bonus to all Arcane skills! Bonus to Mana! Warning, cannot cast magic attacks without shorting your own Psiblade unless you have PRM maxed. Which you do! - You can purchase unique territory enhancements that will allow you to craft arcane wonders undreamed of!

  Will you walk the Path of Shadow? Fitting for an heir of the Dauda clan! Bonus to Perception, Luck, and Quickness! Bonus to Stealth and access to Danger Sense and Enhanced Shadowmind. - You can also purchase unique territory enhancements to disorient your foes!

  Val grimaced, feeling squeezed by terrible pressure, as if the universe itself was desperate to redefine his entire being in that one endless heartbeat, or destroy him forever if he failed to choose.

  He was not tempted by the path of Dominion. It played to strengths he lacked, and its vulnerabilities would leave him weaker than if he forsook the path entirely. The Path of Battle was intriguing. There was something to be said for increasing the effectiveness of his chosen weapons, as well as access to territory enhancements that would leave his territory securely defended.

  But what truly tempted him with visions of King Arthur, Merlin, and all the magic and wonder of every game he had ever played in his life was the Path of Magic. He could visualize it so exquisitely. Soaring through the heavens, gazing down upon cloud-top kingdoms vast and grand, propelled by exotic magics he alone discovered after a thousand years of disuse. A man beloved and feared by millions. And years before he created such marvels, he imagined bringing forth the most wondrous and exotic of Faerie groves and alchemical gardens. He would make use of miraculous enchantments crafted by himself and his apprentices, all of them living and working together within a magnificent college at the edge of mist-covered woodlands leading to lands of endless wonder.

  Val spent precious, deadly moments embracing sweetest fantasy before making his irrevocable choice.

  "I would walk the Path of Shadow," Val said, shuddering and suppressing a scream, struck by the horrific sense that sentient Fate itself had just irrevocably shifted his destiny. He held back bitter regret, knowing in his heart that it was the only choice he could make.

  Congratulations! You are now aligned with Shadow! As a Level 2 Overlord, you have +2 to Quickness, +2 to Perception, +2 to Luck, and Enhanced Shadowmind! You can now slip into Shadowmind 20% faster and are 20% less likely to be pulled from Shadowmind when casting magics. You have a +5% modifier for every Rank your arts exceed the minimum needed to cast a given spell. Total modifier is doubled for mastered spells. If Danger Sense save is made, you will have at least a moment’s warning prior to imminent peril!

  Dreams of glory and wonder were sweetest fantasy. But it would be years of dedicated time and research, even with a Christos mage at his beck and call, to construct wonders sufficient to ward off a legion of battle-mechs that he had no doubt would soon descend upon him.

  This was not a time for dreams and wonder. This was a time for war. And he had only one defense against the probing minds of his enemies. To fade into deepest Shadow, such that even if his body was in plain sight, his mind was utterly beyond his enemies’ reach.

  And if there was any chance of him developing a sixth sense, the one edge he might have that could save him from fatal ambush... there was no choice, really. The Path of Shadow was the only one he could take, much as he had a knack and love for the very magic that disrupted his Shadowmind.

  "You choose the Path of Shadow." Kaupias's gaze turned flinty hard. "A Shadow King. Now, so much about you suddenly makes sense. To think the Dauda would dare this path, plaguing us with a world ruled by assassins!" He shook his head. "The territory is yours. None will dispute it. Your newest slave's deposit will cover all fees. May the gods help us all, if you actually manage to survive."

  Without another word, the man spun on his heel, all but fleeing the manor Val realized only then was still burning, quickly using Water Spout to put out the patches of flame that might cost him the wondrous villa if he wasn't careful.

  Snivelpuse was gazing at Val in disbelief, still grimacing with obvious pain, but considerably less than Val had expected, the man’s gut wound having repaired itself far faster than Val thought it normally would. "You are but a boy. And you dare to walk the Path of Kings? What madness is this?"

  Val stared coldly at the portly man, his less than perfect appearance now making sense. For whatever reason, it seemed that southern mages made infrequent use of rejuvenation vats, and Val had already intuited that healing magics reverted a person to their idealized form, 'healing' the results of plastic surgery as well as any scar.

  The older man flinched and lowered his gaze. "Forgive my impertinence... master."

 
Val peered carefully at the man. "It galls you, doesn't it? Feeling the need to call me master?"

  The mage deliberately gazed at his fallen men, most of their eyes still gazing at death's wonder, slowly shaking his head. "You could have killed me. It would have been simpler for you, actually. But you spared me." He swallowed. "I would have killed you with joy. And yet you spared my life." He clenched his fists. "What would it make me in the eyes of the gods if I were to let my contempt boil over and strike you down, even if I could dispel your curse? The taint of that betrayal would forever stain my soul."

  Angry eyes glared into Val's own. "It is one thing to kill loathsome pawns of the Dominion who seek nothing more than the destruction of my kind. It is another to kill a fellow mage who spared me. Even if he is naught but a stupid ape." He flashed a bitter smile. "I am one of the few of my kind willing to see past a broken council's rash decisions of butchery. To play by their rules and earn the Dominion's tolerance. For all that the independence once promised to us has slowly eroded, power still earns clemency, even here. And you... your atrocious timing puts my entire clan at risk!"

  He took a deep, calming breath. "Even so, you dared to show me mercy. A fellow mage like myself. I will give you no cause to regret that decision."

  Val nodded. "It might surprise you to hear, but a great many of those so-called Terran apes you despise have a fierce love for magic and wonder. They too hunger to learn and master the arcane arts, wishing for nothing more than to become mages themselves. You might find they make as fine allies as they do feared enemies, if you approach them with warmth instead of contempt and hostility, so certain they are all puppets of the Dominion."

  The mage smirked. "Aren't you?"

  Val quirked a brow. "I now walk the Path of Kings. I'm sure you know what that means even better than I."

  The portly man swallowed and jerked a nod. "It means you would dare to don the mantle of Overlord. It means you would dare to rule. Is such a thing even possible for one of your kind?"

  Val shrugged. "What do you think?"

  For some reason the man before him paled, abruptly falling to one knee. "To serve a fellow mage who would dare the King's Path. Who would wrest Jordia away from those who strive to persecute all of us with the gift! No matter that you are hardly human, you have fire in your soul! I will give you no cause to regret your decision to spare me."

  Val nodded. "Good. I could use someone with your talents, Snivelpuse, and I think your clan could use some friends as well."

  The man before him paled, swallowing. "My coven suffered severe setbacks of late. Our enemies maneuver against us, even now. It is obvious that you have power, and I am at your service. If you were to consider coming to our aid, you would have almost a dozen mages sympathetic to your cause. Sympathetic to a ruler who does not secretly seek to butcher us all under any pretext! We... my clan, could be of service to you."

  Val slowly nodded, careful not to show his surprise at the heartfelt relief he saw in the other man's features. "If your clan is willing to be bound to a Greater Oath as you were, then they will be welcome within Greengrove Province. If they are willing to share their arts, they can earn themselves friends, and a stipend as well. I don't care how dark your arts are, any tool is valid in war. I will say this, however. I won't accept any abuse or torment of any servant or noncombatant upon these lands. Is that clear?"

  The man before him was gazing at Val strangely. "Truly? You would allow us to teach openly? To set up a school of magic?"

  Val nodded. "There is nothing your clan could do that would earn them the respect and loyalty of Terran visitors more quickly than offering to teach them the ways of magic. You might be surprised at how fast they pick it up. And if my territory hosts one of the few magic schools openly practicing its craft..."

  "You could entice more Terrans under your banner!" The mage nodded his head at this. "It is an audacious plan. Shelter, protection, reverence for the ancient arts, the chance to reestablish ourselves upon lands rich in magic." He kneeled, his balding pate touching the glossy mosaic tiles at their feet. "It would be my honor to make your proposal known to my clan."

  Val dipped his head. "Good. I have several requirements. One, they tell no outsider. Two, they swear an oath never to betray my cause. Three, all past transgressions between my House and yours are forgiven."

  Snivelpuse blinked, staring strangely at Val. "It was you, wasn't it? You don't even have to say the words. You're responsible for my cousin's disappearance."

  Val slowly nodded, heart racing, preparing himself for anything.

  Snivelpuse trembled, bowing his head, collecting his thoughts. "May I ask why you killed him?"

  "Yes, you may. He and his assistants were butchering hundreds of innocents in a dark quest for power. My friends and I put a stop to it. That is all."

  Snivelpuse sighed and shook his head, shoulders slumped. "I understand. He was always drawn to the quickest paths to power. Such have their strengths, but there is a terrible price to pay as well." He glanced at his wand and grimaced, making no move to pick it up. "He had fashioned that for me, you know. As much as I appreciated the power, even I could sense the horror of its making. Mastering the elements, not necromancy, was my preferred path to power." He locked gazes with Val. "I will inform my clan that past transgressions are to be forgiven, as you have forgiven my own, as we look to forging a future where mages can earn the respect they deserve once more."

  "Good," Val said. "A final question before you convey my offer to your coven. What piqued your interest in this particular territory?"

  Snivelpuse lurched back, holding back a snarl before abruptly shaking his head. "You have a right to know. I must remember that." He turned, pointing towards the vast forest just beyond the lush fields and flowers surrounding the manor, in the opposite direction as the far sparser grasslands Val and his friends had once journeyed through to the distant mountains beyond.

  "Within those woods lie ancient ruins where the mightiest of wizards had once made his home, endless centuries ago. We had hopes of recovering lost treasures." He chuckled softly. "A fantasy, really, but it would have been magnificent to restore that ancient mage's palace, no? A place to pursue our studies, well away from Dominion spies and foolish Covens so busy working at cross-purposes that our enemies merely need to sit back and watch us all destroy ourselves." He shook his head, standing tall once more, gazing sadly at his fallen men.

  "Their deaths are a bitter lesson in folly. I will do my best to assure my clan does not make the same mistake again. Whether or not they are willing to serve you, I will make it clear that any blood price was paid with the sparing of my life." He bowed once more. "Thank you, Magus Valor Hunter, he who dares to walk the King's Path. With your permission, I will withdraw."

  Val nodded. "How long will it take you to return with your clan's decision?"

  "No more than a week, Master."

  "Excellent. And please, just call me Val."

  "And my given name is Alwin, Master Val. In one week, then."

  Val smiled. “Sadly, there are no phones on this world, so your clan might come when I’m unable to meet them. So long as you will vouch your oath upon your clan’s good behavior, you are all welcome to shelter within the manor until such time as they take the oath, or leave in peace, should they refuse.”

  Alwin paled. “But should they betray your hospitality and strike you before we come to an accord...”

  Val nodded solemnly. “It would affect you just as if you had broken your oath to me. So please, do all you can to only bring members of your coven that you trust.”

  Alwin jerked a nod. “I will make damned sure of that, master.” He swallowed. “But what if other mages discover this territory? What if they too have discovered the legends and seek to steal the secrets hidden within our territory before we can retrieve them for ourselves?”

  Val gazed thoughtfully at the man before him. “I think it’s high time that people blessed with the gift of magic quit destro
ying themselves in tragic squabbles that benefit only our enemies. Far better we work together as allies, learning secrets wondrous and potent together, standing strong against all those who would see our gifts die off completely. And with a territory as lush and fecund as this, we can support any number of mages willing to march under my banner.”

  Alwin frowned at this.

  “Think about it, Alwin. Nothing prevents a mage from sharing his findings, whether they be ancient scrolls or spell books or fresh insights that might be the key to unlocking entirely new branches of magic! If a dozen researchers in the fields of science studying independently of one another were to instead combine their resources and findings, their growth would be exponential. Why not do the same thing with the arcane arts? So long as the mages we bring on board take an oath not to work at cross-purposes to one another, there’s no telling how far we can advance our arts. I’ll even take it a step farther and grant boons of Silbion and Elementium to those sorcerers who make discoveries while working together.”

  Val grinned at Alwin’s stunned expression, wondering if he was putting forth ideas his newest vassal had never considered before. “Let me sweeten the pot even more. I will pay you a finder’s fee of let’s say… 20,000 credits for every mage you bring that takes the oath. Including mages from your own clan.” Alwin’s eyes widened at that. Val nodded. “Should they come in good faith, you will have earned every penny. And in time, should we manage to bring enough wizards under our banner, you will find the benefits to be far greater than simple coin.”

  Alwin swallowed, bowing from the waist. “You have given me much to consider, master. With your leave, I will see what I can do to bring before you members of my clan that I trust, and perhaps others as well.”

  Val nodded as a thoughtful-looking Alwin took his leave, swearing to bring no mage from whom he sensed duplicity or malicious intent, and Val dared to hope that perhaps someday this territory might host a mage’s college full of wise professors and eager students performing wondrous magic together, like something out of his favorite movies. But no broom-soccer leagues. He could never wrap his head around that game, though exotic zoos trapped in dimensional rifts might be an amazing sight to see one day.